Warhawk Weekly 4–21: Helping healthcare heroes; Celebrating Warhawk Champions; Alumna unites communities

Helping healthcare heroes

After Auburn University at Montgomery announced a partnership with Baptist Health to provide residence hall rooms to front line healthcare workers, several members of the campus community inquired about the possibility of donating meals and supplies to the nurses and respiratory therapists who are temporarily using Lilac Hall.

Baptist Health offered the following guidance on financial support and food donations for its team members:

• Financial donations can be made directly online at through the Baptist Health Foundation. There is an option to select how the donation is directed. Funding is sough for Baptist’s Team Member Assistance Fund and a new fund that will help offset the cost of critical needs.
• Food donations may be coordinated through Mary Causey with Century Church. Collected funds are used to purchase food for healthcare workers at all three Baptist Health campuses, as well as its COVID-19 clinics.
• Snacks, masks, care packages,  and similar materials may be directed to Baptist Health’s internal coordinator Brittany Wiggins (334-286-2345 or 334-201-9167).
• For Baptist Health team members staying at AUM, donations of gift cards to local restaurants are recommended. This offers an efficient way to meet the needs of team members who work different shifts. To donate a gift card, contact [email protected].

Join us for virtual Professors-N-PJs

Even though we can’t meet in person, we can still celebrate the end of the semester with one of our favorite traditions. Join us for our Virtual Professors-N-Pajamas on Wednesday, April 29, from 7-9 p.m.

We’ll have tutoring rooms, a DJ and some of our favorite furry friends. Learn more at www.aum.edu/pnp.

Celebrating Warhawk Champions

We are fortunate to have faculty and staff who continually go above and beyond to serve the needs of students amid extraordinary and difficult circumstances. We are proud to recognize several individuals and units as “Warhawk Champions.”

Included in this group are:

• Chris Kelley, Mail Room
• AUM Dining Services
• The AUM Housing & Residence Life team
• Faculty members Paul Hard, Shelly Taliaferro, Elizabeth Burrows, Aaron Cobb, Angela Fowler, John Havard and Lilian Mina
• College of Business Academic Advising, including Joy Strong, Denise Wade, LeAnn Reeves and Breanna Gentry
• Financial & Administrative Services staff members Lakeshia Dillard and Lindsay Kennington
• Information Technology Services team Amoung “B” Sidaboud, Stephen Butts, Adam Holley, Chris Van Fleet and Terrell Davis
• AUM Office of Human Resources
• AUM Library
• Melinda Kramer, Provost’s Office
• Melissa Reck, Curriculum Instruction and Technology

Nominate a Warhawk Champion at: http://www.aum.edu/aboveandbeyond

Alumni spotlight: Zaied works to bring different faiths, communities together

When Aya Zaied (’09) established the Muslim Student Association at Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM), she found her calling as an advocate for citizens facing racial and religious bias in the South.

As Montgomery’s representative of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), Zaied conducts outreach and coordinates events to bring people of different faiths and religions together in Alabama’s River Region.

“In so many ways, being involved on AUM’s campus prepped me for my work today,” she said. “It taught me to be proactive, reach out, and also to be strategic in my approach. More than anything, AUM taught me about community, and CAIR is all about building relationships and bridges of understanding.”

Since graduating with her biology degree from AUM in 2009, Zaied has earned a juris doctorate degree from Faulkner University’s Thomas Goode Jones Law School and established herself as a well-known and respected public figure in Montgomery and beyond. She’s now focused on using her role with CAIR to address the issues in Montgomery communities, from healthcare disparities and criminal justice reform to education, immigration, and sexual violence.

Learn more about her journey at AUM and career.

Register for a virtual fitness class

How can you get fit while preserving social distance? Attend a virtual fitness class offered by the Wellness Center. Email Anna Champion at [email protected] to reserve a spot in an upcoming class. You’ll receive a Zoom link for the corresponding class once you register. AUM’s group fitness trainers are offering a variety of classes to meet the needs of students, faculty and staff.

The upcoming schedule includes:

Tuesday, April 21
3 p.m. – Strength/Cardio Circuit with Brenda

Wednesday, April 22
5:30 a.m. – Early Bird High Intensity Training with Rachel
Noon – Body Weight Strength with Anna
3:30 p.m. – Zumba with Leigh Anne

Thursday, April 23
9 a.m. – Yoga with Velvet
11 a.m. – Total Body Fitness with Wanda
3 p.m. – Zumba Toning with Monette

Friday, April 24
10 a.m. – Stretch & Stability with Mel
Noon – Strength Circuit with Erin
3 p.m. – Yoga with Rebecca

Introducing new Graphic Design summer course

A new course on graphic design will be opening this summer!

In VISU 1102: Two-Dimensional Design, students will focus on developing an understanding of the principles of organization and the elements of art through creating works digitally that convey organic unity. Utilizing the raster graphics software, Autodesk Sketchbook, students will also receive training in digital software as they take their initial concept from sketch to final design.

In this online studio course, students will receive a Wacom Drawing Tablet and stylus to work with for the term. The tablet must be returned to the university upon a given student’s completion of the course. In order to take this course, students must have their own computer, however, with the minimum requirements to support Autodesk Sketchbook Pro and a USB port.

For more information, please email the Fine Arts Department or Tony Veronese.

THAT Literary Review now available

What’s THAT? It’s a literary review published by students and faculty of Auburn University Montgomery and Huntingdon College. The 2020 issue, which features innovative and eye-popping poetry, photography, prose and art from contributors around the world, is now available online.

The fifth annual issue features work from Pushcart Prize winners, as well as first-time authors. View the newest issue online!

People of AUM: Antavia Sanders

Why is Auburn University at Montgomery a frequent first choice for first-generation college students? For many, it feels like home. Theatre arts major Antavia Sanders offers her insights on what makes AUM special.

Tryout for Cheerleading virtually

Cheerleading tryouts for the 2020-21 season will be done virtually. Applications are open until Thursday, April 30 and the virtual tryouts will be held May 1-3. Requirements include performing two jumps, a cheer, a dance (females only), and tumbling is optional. After the tryout application is received, materials will be emailed. For more information, check out the AUM Athletics site.

Online tutoring assistance available

Having difficulties with online classes?

The Warhawk Academic Success Center can help you. Schedule an online tutoring appointment, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., by emailing [email protected] or calling 334-244-3230.

Spring 2020 Curtiss Course Critiques open

Make sure to complete your course evaluations. Curtiss Course Critiques open now!

Filibuster extends application deadline

The Editor-in-Chief and Graphic Designer positions for the 2021 Filibuster applications are still open until May 1.

To apply, potential candidates will need to submit both a one-page “Letter of Intent” that describes their vision for the magazine and a one-page “Resume” that describes their qualifications for serving in the position. The positions begin in the Summer 2020 term and continue through Spring 2021. Each student will receive a small scholarship as part of their position in Fall 2020.

Experience with Adobe In-Design is required for the Graphic Design position. Experience with this program is also preferred, but not required, for the Editor position. All candidates must be enrolled as either a full or part-time student during the year to serve in the position, and he or she must maintain a 2.0 grade point average. Applicants should also have completed ENGL1010 and ENGL1020.

Candidates can send their “Letter of Intent” and “Resume” as attached Microsoft Word documents to Filibuster’s Academic Advisor, Dr. Robert Klevay, at [email protected]. Any questions about the position should also be directed to Dr. Klevay.